The Cardinals were started by the American Association in 1882 as the St. Louis Brown Stockings, who got their name from an earlier National League team. They joined the National League in 1892 and have been known as the Cardinals ever since 1900. The Cardinals began play in the current Busch Stadium in 2006, becoming the first team since 1923 to win the World Series in their first season in a new ballpark. They are the oldest current professional sports franchise west of the Mississippi River. The Cardinals have a strong rivalry with the Chicago Cubs that began in 1885.

↑In 1981, the Cardinals finished with the overall best record in the East Division. However, a players' strike in the middle of the season forced the season to be split into two halves. St. Louis finished second in both halves and was thereby deprived of a post-season appearance.

↑In 2001, the Cardinals and the Houston Astros finished the season with identical records of 93–69 and finished tied for first place in the Central Division standings. The Baseball Hall of Fame wrote they were both awarded a co-championship.[2] According to the Cardinals' website, this was "the first shared championship in major-league history".[3] However, Associated Press in 2004 wrote, "St. Louis tried to claim it was division co-champion, a position the commissioner's office rejected."[4] For playoff seeding, the NL Central slot went to Houston and St. Louis was awarded the wild card berth.